Muschamp makes local stop on speaking tour

Florida head coach Will Muschamp addresses a Polk County Gator Club Gathering at the Lake Mirror Center in Lakeland on May 7. Muschamp made one of his final stops on his speaking tour in Gainesville on Tuesday. (Ernst Peters/The Ledger)

By Zach AbolverdiCorrespondent

Published: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 9:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 9:38 p.m.

Florida coach Will Muschamp spoke Tuesday at the Titletown Gator Club in Gainesville, the second to last stop on his spring speaking tour.

He enjoys the local events much more than his out-of-town trips.

“I get home earlier at night,” Muschamp said smiling.

Making the golf cart drive from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to Emerson Alumni Hall also reminded Muschamp of going to UF football games with his parents. His father, Larry, died at 79 earlier this month.

“Pulling in,” he said, “I was thinking about walking up 22nd Street with my family as a young man and coming for 10 years to sit in the north end zone. This building (Emerson) wasn't here. Back then, it was Florida Field. It wasn't The Swamp.

“But we had a lot of great Saturdays watching that turf, and the heat come off it. You could see it. It looked like a desert out there.”

The heat is still there for Muschamp, only now it's coming from his seat.

He fielded another round of questions Tuesday from uneasy Florida fans concerned about the Gators after their 4-8 campaign.

One animated gentleman asked Muschamp how he'll handle a 2014 schedule with Alabama, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina and Florida State.

“All those programs are ahead of you right now,” he exclaimed.

The fan also told Muschamp he built the nearby house his family lived in.

“It flooded a couple times,” Muschamp quipped.

The fourth-year head coach plans to flood his hot seat and the skeptics with a new-look offense and a defensive scheme that's had UF ranked top 10 in total defense since 2011.

He said Kurt Roper's fast-paced, uptempo offense has given the players confidence, which is something they didn't have in 2013.

“We lost confidence and belief in what we were doing offensively, and it affected our whole football team. That's something we've gotten back,” said Muschamp, who also pointed to the depth and experience at each position on the offensive side of the ball.

Muschamp feels the Gators have the talent and ability to maintain their level of play on defense, but he and his assistants just have to get it out of the underclassmen on the defensive line and in the secondary.

“That's why they call you coach,” Muschamp said.

He understands the results must be better this season, but the pressure doesn't get to him.

“I was 29 years old at LSU calling defenses in the SEC,” Muschamp said. “If you want to coach at Florida, it's the championship expectation. Criticism comes with the job.”

Throughout his speaking tour, which concludes Thursday at the Fightin' Gator Touchdown Club in Gainesville, Muschamp has told UF fans that his team will be good next year.

“What does good mean? We're going to compete for a championship,” he said.

<p>Florida coach Will Muschamp spoke Tuesday at the Titletown Gator Club in Gainesville, the second to last stop on his spring speaking tour.</p><p>He enjoys the local events much more than his out-of-town trips.</p><p>“I get home earlier at night,” Muschamp said smiling. </p><p>Making the golf cart drive from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to Emerson Alumni Hall also reminded Muschamp of going to UF football games with his parents. His father, Larry, died at 79 earlier this month.</p><p>“Pulling in,” he said, “I was thinking about walking up 22nd Street with my family as a young man and coming for 10 years to sit in the north end zone. This building (Emerson) wasn't here. Back then, it was Florida Field. It wasn't The Swamp. </p><p>“But we had a lot of great Saturdays watching that turf, and the heat come off it. You could see it. It looked like a desert out there.”</p><p>The heat is still there for Muschamp, only now it's coming from his seat.</p><p>He fielded another round of questions Tuesday from uneasy Florida fans concerned about the Gators after their 4-8 campaign.</p><p>One animated gentleman asked Muschamp how he'll handle a 2014 schedule with Alabama, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina and Florida State. </p><p>“All those programs are ahead of you right now,” he exclaimed.</p><p>The fan also told Muschamp he built the nearby house his family lived in.</p><p>“It flooded a couple times,” Muschamp quipped. </p><p>The fourth-year head coach plans to flood his hot seat and the skeptics with a new-look offense and a defensive scheme that's had UF ranked top 10 in total defense since 2011. </p><p>He said Kurt Roper's fast-paced, uptempo offense has given the players confidence, which is something they didn't have in 2013.</p><p>“We lost confidence and belief in what we were doing offensively, and it affected our whole football team. That's something we've gotten back,” said Muschamp, who also pointed to the depth and experience at each position on the offensive side of the ball. </p><p>Muschamp feels the Gators have the talent and ability to maintain their level of play on defense, but he and his assistants just have to get it out of the underclassmen on the defensive line and in the secondary. </p><p>“That's why they call you coach,” Muschamp said. </p><p>He understands the results must be better this season, but the pressure doesn't get to him.</p><p>“I was 29 years old at LSU calling defenses in the SEC,” Muschamp said. “If you want to coach at Florida, it's the championship expectation. Criticism comes with the job.”</p><p>Throughout his speaking tour, which concludes Thursday at the Fightin' Gator Touchdown Club in Gainesville, Muschamp has told UF fans that his team will be good next year. </p><p>“What does good mean? We're going to compete for a championship,” he said.</p>